Aye Mastah!
by nicaxia
Summary: [LAST CHAPTER UP] We come to the conclusion of Aye Mastah! Did Shinbo really fall for Sumomo that much that he'd take the risk of destroying her microchip?
1. Default Chapter

Aye Mastah!

**Note:** This is my first chobits fanfic and I want to make it in honor of my favorite pair, Shinbo and Sumomo! Yes, some may find this pretty disturbing since Shinbo and Sumomo are not (in normal circumstances) to be paired! Sumomo is mobile fer crying out loud! But I find it very intriguing... Enjoy!

"Shi---Shinbo... there's something wrong..." Hideki stammered. I looked at Sumomo and saw her shaking...

"Sumomo!!" I cried out as she fell unconscious. I picked her tenderly in my palm. What... why...?! She's fully equipped with all the latest upgrades! How can she breakdown like this?! Hideki peeked from behind my shoulder.

"Here.. go to Minoru. He's a persocom expert. Maybe he can help you out!" I wrote down Minoru's address and gave it to Hideki. I cannot even look at him. My heart was pounding like hell.

I went inside my room and slammed the door shut. _Sumomo... please retain your memory... _

I spent day after day fixing her. It was tough work since she was mobile after all. She's a small-sized persocom equipped with heavy software so it's no walk in the park repairing her. But finally, after the seventh grueling day of manually fixing her, she was finished. I collapsed and lay flat on my back. Within seconds, my eyelids drooped and I fell asleep...

"Mastah!"

"Su...Sumomo?" I squinted. The place was very foggy. It made me feel a bit nauseous. I clutched my stomach and heard faint footsteps approaching me. It took more than rubbing and squinting of my eyes to see through the fog.

"Mastah!"

My jaw dropped.

"Sumomo, is that.. you?" I stared at her. She looked like Sumomo alright. Pink hair, pink outfit and those cute eyes... I know my persocom. That's definitely Sumomo. But why is she... Why is she... **_Why in the nine hells is she as tall as I am?!_**

"Aye! Atashi wa Sumomo!" She jumped.

Wow.. she looked... _different_. I hate to admit it but she looked... well, sexy!

"What're you doing here? Where are we? What happened to you?" I spatted one question after another. This is all too confusing.

"Mastah..." she whispered as she gently touched my cheek. I looked at her and was surprised to find one drop of tear tumble down her cheek...

And with that... I woke up. Whew! That was some dream! Haha! And to think Sumomo actually became _thisclose_ to being huma---

"Mastah!"

"KyaaAaaAA!!!! Sumomo?!"

She beamed at me. "Bingo! That is correct!"

Eh?! She really is Sumomo. That was how I programmed her. But... this can't be... I stood up shakily and stared at her. My eyes trailed down and I found out since she grew to human size, her clothes got torn. So basically, she was naked.

I took a step back towards the door.

"I'll be back Sumomo chan..."

"Aye!"

I pounded on Hideki's door.

"Hideki! Hideki! Hideki!!!" I yelled. I heard heavy, lazy footsteps approching the door.

"Shinbo? At this hour? What's wrong?" He had his eyes half-opened. I sighed impatiently and slapped him about four times.

"Are you awake? Come here, I have to show you something"

I took him to my room and turned on the lights.

"KyaaaAaAh!! Shinbo?! What are you doing with a naked woman in your room?! I thought You and Shimizu sensei are married now!" he was outraged.

I rolled my eyes and pushed him inside.

"Take a better look, will you?!" I said. Hideki squinted and eyed her suspiciously. He went around her, checking her hair, her face, her body... He was turning into the same color as Sumomo's hair.

"Stop staring at her tits and tell me, do you recognize her?!" I snapped.

Hideki looked at me in alarm. "No! I wasn't.. I mean it wasn't my—intention to look.. I wasn't..."

I took out one of my t-shirts and made Sumomo wear them.

"Aye!" She beamed.

"Now, can you tell me who you think she is?" I asked exasperatedly.

"Ah! She's Sumomo right? Waitaminit... Sumomo!?" He was surprised at his own words.

Sumomo looked at her slender legs and her long, pink hair. She looked really (and I mean really) sexy with that huge shirt on. I smiled to myself, still not believing that all of this was real.

"Thanks. I needed another person to tell me that this really is Sumomo. I'll have it figured out in the morning. Thanks Hideki" I shoved him out of the room.

We sat down in silence.

"Sumomo, can you call Minoru for me?"

"Aye Mastah!" She jumped and waved her right hand. Somehow the gesture doesn't fit her anymore. Back when she was mobile, it looked really kawaii but now.. it just looked weird.

"Hello? Minoru kun?"

"Shinbo san? Is there a problem?"

"Well, yeah... it's about Sumomo.."

"Really? How could you, of all people, have a problem with a persocom?"

"I know... I don't usually call for help but this one's an emergency. Sumomo's turned into human size. I don't know how the hell it happened"

"Eh?! Why don't you bring her over here tomorrow?"

"Yokai. Thanks"

Sumomo dropped the call and looked at me intently. I still couldn't get over how sexy she looked. What could've caused this? I've already proven that everything's real so what happened? Is there a glitch or something?

Suddenly Sumomo took out her whistle and blew it.

"It's time for mastah's midnight snack desu!" she jumps and waves her right hand. I laughed and shook my head.

"No Sumomo, not tonight. How about we go to sleep? Ne?" I turned off the lights, not expecting an answer.

"Mastah?"

"Hmm?" I was half-asleep.

"Can I kiss you goodnight?"

Author's note: So... what do you guys think? Well, it is only my first chapter so it's kinda boring.


	2. aye mastah 2

Part 2

I had the weirdest dream. Sumomo grew to human size and wanted to kiss me. It seemed so real. It's not freaky like those you see on movies wherein your pet grew to monstrous sizes and wants to gobble you up. That would be creepy. But my dream was different... It's like... your kid sister suddenly grew up into a young lady overnight. She was beautiful.

It was a nice dream.

PRRRRRRTTTTT!!!!

Ah... Sumomo's whistle.

"It's time for mastah's morning exercise desu!!!!!"

I stood up and got ready. But something weird suddenly came over me. Like an aftertaste. That voice... was that really...

"Sumomo?!"

"Aye!!" she beamed.

There she was in her 18-yr old body, clad in nothing but a huge white shirt (yeah... no bra, no panties) stretching just like good 'ol Sumomo.

"Ichi, ni! San, shi! Ichi, ni! San, shi!" She breaks into a stationary jog.

I felt my cheeks grew hotter with every step. This is insane. I can't do this to my own persocom. Shinbo, _she's a persocom!!!_ Her body may be really nice but... _she's a persocom!!!! _You can't fantasize over a computer! I felt like I was slipping. Like I was starting to become like Hideki every minute. Talking to myself, fantasizing over a persocom... what's next?!

"Sumomo-chan wait..." I held her wrist and sat down. She stopped that sinful jogging and sat down in front of me.

"Aye mastah?" her eyes all wide and innocent. I knew my cheeks were as pink as her hair at that time. I couldn't hide it. She was really kawaii.

"First, we have to buy you underwear. Or at least borrow some from Hideki. Then we're going to Minoru. Do you detect any virus anywhere? A hacker perhaps who toiled with your system?" I asked. She salutes and switches to system check-up mode.

As she was checking, I went out of the room and knocked on Hideki's door. Chii was the one who timidly opened the door.

"I...ta...ra...shai...." She mumbled. I patted her head and called out for Hideki.

"Ah, Shinbo! You've settled your problem with Sumomo-chan already?" Hideki asked. Funny how the tables have been turned. He is now the one inquiring with the status of my persocom and I was the one asking for favors.

"Uh... Hideki, this might seem weird but do you have panties to spare?" I asked. Hideki almost sputtered the cola he's drinking all over my face.

I rolled my eyes. Really, what was the big deal? It's just that I don't think my budget covers Sumomo's clothing. She had always been fine with her clothes but well, since this sudden growth spurt (hehe, understatement of the century) it seems my expenses just increased big time. Imagine the clothes I have to buy... and with that growth, she's bound to take more electricity charging up.

"Pantsu... pantsu... pantsu..." Chii suddenly said. Hideki and I looked at her and found her taking off her panties.

Now _that's_ the time Hideki sputtered his cola all over the place.

"Chii!! Dame!! You can't remove your panties like that!"

"Chii dame?" she asked innocently.

Well, I still consider myself a lucky man despite all of the added expenses. Chii needs a lot patience from her owner while Sumomo is well programmed and could practically take care of herself.

"Here..." Hideki shoves the panties to me and pushed me out of the door. I paused and I could still hear them from the outside. Hideki is such a big virgin. He's infuriated about a petty thing like that? Hehe... he should get a real woman sometime.

"Chii... if somebody says panties, that doesn't mean you have to give what you're wearing...!" Hideki was outraged.

"Shinbo-san needs panties..." Chii replied meekly.

"Yes!! I know!!! But don't take off your underwear for him! We have spare panties here... understand? S...p....a....r....e... that's what we lend to friends" Hideki explained. I snickered.

Oh well... Time to face my problem. I opened the door to my room and found Sumomo...

Dancing.

My jaw dropped once more. Her dance... was different. I wonder if it had anything to do with the sudden growth... her dance was more like Russian ballet.

She was beautiful.

"Sumomo-chan..." my words came out as a whisper. She stopped dancing immediately and stood straight very mechanically. Which was, by the way, a dead-giveaway of her being a persocom. Not that I was hoping that she was real or anything.

I gave her the panties and rummaged through my bag for Shimizu's clothes. Good thing Shimizu sometimes spend the night here. And during those times she accidentally leaves some of her clothes. I wonder what she would think if she found out Sumomo grew to this.

Will she be mad? Jealous?

"Mastah?" she asked. I snapped out of my trance and grinned at her.

"Well, what do you say we go to Minoru now?" I asked her.

She was about to say yes when she suddenly stopped. As if there's some glitch in her hardware.

"Doesn't mastah have to go to prep school now?" she asked. I looked at my watch. Holy crap... she was right!! I stood up and changed my shirt. I grabbed the nearest one that I could find. When I put it on, I noticed the plum smell and realized that it was the shirt I made Sumomo wear last night!

I was going to take it off when...

PRRRRTTTTT!!!

"Time for school now mastah!! Time for school!!" I heard her say in her most genki voice. Oh what the hell... so what if I smell like plum? Shimizu will be mad at me more if I arrive late! I headed for the door and reached for my bag...

"Sumomo-chan??!" I asked incredulously.

There she was, all 5 foot 6 of her trying to fit herself into my bag. If I wasn't in a hurry, I would've sat down, laughed and took a picture. But I was. So...

"Sumomo... You can't go with me to school today okay? You're too big. You stay here and wait for my return okay?" I said and pulled half of her body out of the bag.

She looked at me with this expression that was impossible to ignore. I don't know how she did it but it was almost as if her eyes were brimming in tears. This is weird. I am not going to be manipulated by my persocom.

Fifteen minutes later, I find myself sitting in class.

With Sumomo sitting between Hideki and me.

Author's note: So... uhm.. how was it? It's really hard so please bear with me if there aren't any conflicts yet. I will add them soon. I promise.


	3. aye mastah 3

Chapter 3

"Shinbo... what's up with you?! Why'd you bring her here?" Hideki asked me. I sat firmly on my seat and looked at Sumomo without saying a word.

"Shall I take down notes mastah?" Sumomo asked me a little too loudly. I was only counting the minutes when Shimizu would approach us and inquire why was I bringing a persocom in the class. I racked my brain for a ready answer.

I let Sumomo write notes while I leaned over at Hideki.

"Motosuwa, I want you to tell Shimizu that Sumomo's yours"

Hideki's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "What do you mean? Shimizu knows how Sumomo look like... she's bound to notice that it's Sumomo!" he pointed out.

I held Sumomo's shoulder and faced her towards Hideki.

"Does she look like Sumomo to you? A thousand persocom's have pink hair! Just do it!" I snapped. Okay, I was panicking. Shimizu and I had this talk before about the importance of persocoms and just how much attention should one give it. And well.. because of her rotten past with that bastard husband she had, persocoms are taboo for her. Finding out that I actually bring human-sized Sumomo to cram school will most probably make her irritated. If not mad.

Shimizu came and greeted the class. My mind entertained thoughts of just pushing Sumomo on an empty chair and claiming that she's a new student. Hmm... no wait, bad idea. Sumomo might do something freaky and if Shimizu finds that out, I'd be in a much deeper crap. _Stop it Shinbo... you're panicking..._

"Hmm... haven't seen you here before" Shimizu stood beside our table and smiled warmly at Sumomo.

Hideki was about to open his mouth when Sumomo suddenly stood up, raised her right hand and jumped cheerful.

"Atashi wa Sumomo-chan desu!!!" She beamed. The whole class rocked with laughter. I looked at Hideki but he looked just as shocked as I am. What's the matter...? I didn't program Sumomo to reply without being asked. Shimizu didn't ask a question... why the heck did she answer?!

"Shinbo? This is Sumomo? Your persocom?" she looked at me in surprise. I smiled sheepishly and nodded. She looked at me with an expression that meant, "We'll talk later"

The day went on. Sumomo was acting pretty strangely the whole day. She did several things not included in her program. Almost as if she thought it herself. But I knew better. It was probably the sudden change of hardware. Wait a second... come to think of it, she hasn't told me about the results of her system check-up.

After classes, Sumomo hopped to one of the benches and sat there quietly. I sighed nervously and went back to the classroom to talk to Shimizu.

"Shinbo... you know persocoms aren't allowed in class" Shimizu said solemnly. I scratched my head.

"You see, it's kind of a long story... Ano... Sumomo became..."

"I don't need your excuses Shinbo!!! Just don't bring her here again....!!" Shimizu trying so hard not to meet my eyes. I know how she feels about persocoms so this shouldn't be a surprise anymore... I knew this would happen. She had her back turned to me and so I neared towards her and whispered an apology then headed out.

When I opened the door, Sumomo fell on my foot.

"Sumomo??! What are you doing?? I thought I told you to wait there??!" I pulled her up. Sumomo was silent and I saw her gaze turn to Shimizu a bit. Call me crazy, but I really could see a hint of anger on her eyes. She actually, well _glared_ at Shimizu. I'm telling you, I never programmed anything like this... she's supposed to be a handy mobile persocom... not a personal-dating persocom!

"In any case, let's go to minoru kun's house..." I walked past her and held her hand.

She meekly followed. What I didn't know was that Sumomo turned to look at Shimizu one last time. And that was the turning point of everything. The turning point of everything and I missed it. What it meant and what happened, I will yet to unravel to you.

When we got to Minoru's house, Sumomo was starting to feel a bit jittery. I wondered if she needed to recharge but then, Minoru's house is like a persocom dreamland. You can do anything here.

"Ah... shinbo san... I was expecting you this morning.." Minoru greeted me and motioned for Yuzuki to sit on a nearby chair. I nodded eagerly and let Sumomo sit on the couch.

"So this is Sumomo now... interesting......." Minoru examined her.

It took a while. He was really observing her, like he was looking for an important thing but couldn't find it. He turned to me in a serious expression.

"Shinbo san, where is Sumomo chan's cable plugs?" He asked. I stood there dumbfounded. When Sumomo was mobile, her cables were inside this little pink beret. But now that she's grown, the beret is gone and.. well, _where are the cables?!?_

"I... I... uh..."

"It is physically impossible for a mobile persocom to grow like this... then adding in a whisper almost as if she's human..."

Sumomo suddenly stood up. She looked around and started dancing. Twirling around with such magnificent grace.

"Shinbo san.. in human terms, this can be explained as a growth spurt. But in persocoms... this is something... new. I will look it up and keep you updated. Please do try to figure out where her cable plugs are.."

I nodded and stopped Sumomo from dancing. She waved goodbye to Minoru as we headed out of his house.

"Sumomo...?"

"Aye mastah!"

"What is happening to you...?"

Silence.

"Mastah doesn't like transformation?"

I froze.

_What did she just say?!_

I turned to look at her and she was standing there looking very sad and almost sorrowful.

"Mastah likes chibi Sumomo? Mastah doesn't want Sumomo now? Mastah.... Likes Prep school sensei?"

"Sumomo... I like Shimizu... very much... And I like you too... You're my persocom!!" I smiled warmly at her. Trying to dismiss the crazy thoughts running through my head with trumpets and bass drums.

Then suddenly, Sumomo came towards me and hugged me.

"Sumomo chan has been waiting for this moment mastah... to be able to give mastah a hug... is happiness for sumomo chan" she buried her face on my shoulder.

"I don't know what happened to you Sumomo.. I don't know why you're doing this but... let's get ice cream for the meantime... ne?" I pulled back slightly to get a glimpse of her face.

When I saw her... my knees almost gave way.

_She was crying_.

It was strange because... at that moment.. I didn't mind it at all.

Author's note: I'm nearing the end of my very first fanfic!! Two more chapters to go!!!


	4. Aye Mastah 4

A/N: A part of Shinbo knows that Sumomo just turned into a human being. But the bigger part of him refuses to accept this and just dismisses the fact that Sumomo actually cried in front of him. In this chapter we find out the reason how and why Sumomo just turned into a human being. ShanniC thanks for the reviews... it really means a lot!

As Sumomo and I were walking down the pathway of the park, she just suddenly ran ahead of me and looked at me teasingly.

"Mastah!!!!! Catch me!!!!" She stuck her tongue out at me. _Why the little---_ I laughed and played along with her. She ran playfully, bumping a few innocent bystanders along the way. We got a few, "HEY!!" and a lot of "WATCH IT YOU MORON!!!!" as Sumomo and I chased each other around the park.

She was laughing so hard. Her pink hair flew wildly around her face. She seems so... so happy. When she was just mobile, I couldn't really tell if she was happy or not. I couldn't even _try _to think how she feels every moment. But now, now that she's almost the same size as me, everything is so clear. You can see every curve on her lips, every squint in her eyes... She was so... full of.. well, _life! _Do you know how persocom owners treat their persocom's as if they were alive? Some even marry them! I never believed in that. Persocoms are persocoms. They are used for email, online gaming and web surfing. They were never designed to be lifetime companions. Or spouses for that matter.

Somehow, someway, a persocom would do something that would remind you that it's only a persocom, not a human being.

Sumomo was still running giddily when suddenly, she tripped. Falling facedown, the sound of her laughter stopped immediately. A couple of people noticed it and looked at her in alarm.

"Sumomo! Sumomo!! Are you okay?!!?" I called after her and ran to her side. She sat up and looked at me, her face streaked with dirt.

And _blood._

I didn't know how to react. I was just sitting there, speechless with my jaw dropped open until this old woman nudged me with her stick.

"Hey kid, you're girlfriend's bleeding don't just stand there!!!"

Before I could protest, Sumomo already wiped her nose and chin. She grinned at me as if saying "nothing happened, everything's alright". I stood up cautiously.

"Sumomo, you're going to tell me everything... what is happening?"

She looked as if she were about to cry. She ran and soon enough, she was out of my sight. I was going to follow her when somebody from behind me coughed, trying to get my attention. I looked behind me and saw Minoru.

"Shinbo san... I think I know what has happened to Sumomo... If you could just follow me and we can talk about it. I'll ask Yuzuki to look for her, is that okay?" He said.

I nodded and followed Minoru to a nearby coffee shop. Yuzuki bowed at the two of us and started looking for Sumomo. I just... couldn't understand. Although a little part of me wasn't surprised at all. I was able to dismiss everything that has happened as mere coincidence until now. Why was she bleeding?! I think I just really need an explanation for all of this.

"That girl with you Shinbo san is not Sumomo. She has Sumomo's microchip inside her brain but the body isn't your mobile design of Sumomo. I knew it was impossible for a persocom to just transform into a human being... believing that would be believing in snow white or Cinderella" Minoru kun said simply, taking a sip of his oolong tea.

I still couldn't understand. So the body isn't really Sumomo, but how the hell did everything happen? My thoughts must've been plastered all over my face because Minoru continued.

"Do you remember the last night of you manually fixing Sumomo? Somebody from your apartment found out about this. She happens to be... one of the scientists who invented the whole line of persocoms. Ms. Hibiya.."

"Wait a second... superintendent? The landlady Hibiya san? She's one of the founders of persocom?"

"Not only persocom, but also chobits. I thought it was just an urban legend but it was true after all. Although Sumomo is not chobits, with that I am very sure, but Ms. Hibiya was working on a separate underground project. She wanted to create a human being out of persocoms. By using the microchip that holds all of a persocom's data, infusing it in the central nervous system, her theory was that the human being would have the characteristics of the persocom that their respective owners have grown to love" Minoru kun took another sip of his tea.

I was starting to understand what he meant.

"My sources tell me that she grew sad because of the news of people falling in-love with their persocoms but realizing that they could never be loved back, they commit suicide. But still, she couldn't possibly use a live experiment because she would be questioned immediately and could never fulfill the project. So she also studied genetically manufacturing a human being. And to this she was successful. Sumomo was her test subject and now it leads to this"

"Her intentions are noble. She wants to help all those persocom owners who have grown to love their respective persocoms by transforming them into human beings, capable of replying to the words 'I love you'. But of course, this experiment is not without flaw..." Minoru kun was starting to sip his tea a lot more slowly looking intently and observing every reaction I make to his statements.

I sighed; I knew there was a catch to this. Something like this just couldn't be. This is defying the very laws of nature. Something mechanical can never live.

"Because the body made artificially is just a prototype, and this would probably be true to all that comes after, the body wouldn't be able to withstand all the data poured into its brain. The body might die and the microchip would be destroyed. The body would probably decay sooner than it should and could lead to greater complications especially if the persocom-turned-human has a husband. If you get what I mean Shinbo san... It's either it stays as a persocom or it gets destroyed... that's its cruel fate" He finally said.

Suddenly, the door opened and in came Yuzuki.

"Minoru sama, Sumomo refused to come here. She's with Ms. Shimizu right now... Ms. Shimizu said that everything is under her control and that I should just tell you that Sumomo would be returned to Shinbo san's apartment not later than midnight"

I stood up immediately, shook Minoru kun's hand and walked out of the coffee shop.

A/N: I hope this is okay.... About two more or one more chapter to go... thanks for sticking up with me


	5. Aye Mastah 5

A/N What really happened to Sumomo has just been revealed. Now Shinbo has to make the fatal decision. Will he go for what's real or what has been _made real_? Again ShanniC thanks a lot for the reviews.. I'm really glad you're sticking up with me Nathaniel buddy thanks for adding me to your favorites! Means a lot to me you know?

My mind reeled from two end poles as I walked towards my house. I passed by the playground to prolong the journey home. I needed a lot of time to think. This isn't just any persocom, this was Sumomo.. I never really thought about it much but there's something more to Sumomo than just microchips and cables. Somehow, although at that time I wasn't aware of it, Sumomo was my **_partner_**. We were a tag team. We kept each other company in the loneliest of times. I hate to admit this but... I'm attached to her.

One kid accidentally dropped her ice cream on the cobble stoned pavement. She looked at it surprisingly and within minutes, she was already crying. I smiled to myself. I really find girls who cry rather.. endearing. They look so helpless and there's just something that makes me want to hug them and stroke their back.

I have seen Sumomo cry.

It felt weird. Different... I wasn't amused nor did that feeling of "let-me-help-you" fill me. I just felt really bad and wanted to snap her out of it that very instant. I panicked.

Is this a good sign or a bad sign?

I decided to step inside the playground for a while. And that's when it hit me.

Shimizu.

**FLASHBACK: 3rd person perspective**

"Shimizu sensei? What're you doing here all alone?" Shinbo approached her cautiously. Shimizu didn't say a word for a minute, she kicked the ground with her right high-heeled shoe and allowed the swing to sway her back and forth slowly.

"I... I got locked out..." she said quietly.

Shinbo raised an eyebrow. He was going to laugh but Shimizu looked so dead serious that he just walked nearer to her.

"My.... My husband... forgot about me... He locked the door..."

Now Shinbo just couldn't help it. Really, she was kidding right?

"Yes.. it's funny isn't it? My own husband forgot about me... It all started when he got too attached with his persocom.. we bought one you see, to help us around the house. But he... he started getting very.. close to it... then day after day.. he started to forget about me. Like he doesn't have a wife.." Shimizu looked up at Shinbo now her eyes brimming with tears.

Now, Shinbo was a sucker for helpless damsels in distress. And Shimizu sensei was no exception. He held her up and did what he thought was only right, he hugged her. That's where he felt it. The strong, unbelievable longing for her. That's where it all started. That's what got him and Shimizu now together.

And he had sworn never to choose a persocom over her.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

I patted my head lightly. _This is weird... This shouldn't be a problem! I should just..._

_I should just..._

_I..._

_Damn it all! What should I do?! _

Before I knew it, my feet had already led me to the apartment. Hibiya san was sweeping again. She always does, this is her usual routine. She looked up at me and gave me the brightest smile.

"Shinbo san... I trust that you know about the issue with Sumomo chan already?" She asked as if her question was, "Isn't it a bright, sunny day?"

I nodded and understood. I was prone to changes. I was never the one who'd freak out and make sudden decisions out of fear when something foreign comes up. I was never the one who'd ask for help, who'd try to change things back to the way it was. So I'm not going to get mad at Hibiya san for doing what she did. It would just complicate things a lot more and hell knows I couldn't afford to add one more complication. I've accepted that all of this was happening. I couldn't deny any of it any longer. I've chewed it and now it's time to swallow.

"Shall we go now Shinbo san?" Hibiya san rested her broom on the wall and walked with me inside the apartment. It was a slow, quiet walk. She was breathing slowly and calmly.

Hibiya san suddenly turned to face me.

"Shinbo san I am deeply sorry if I---"

"Please Hibiya san... I really appreciate what you've done for me and Sumomo... I got the chance to feel the human side of her. It was really fun..." I smiled kindly at her.

The door to my apartment creaked open and inside there stood Shimizu and Sumomo. It looked like a scene out of a cheesy reality tv show. The minute Sumomo saw me, her face brightened up and she ran towards me flailing her hands in the air.

"Mastah!!!!!!!!!!!!"

She threw all her weight at me and I caught her in my arms.

"Mastah please.. I don't want to go back.... Mastah.... I... no.. please? I want to stay like this.. For you mastah I...." She was stammering. Her words jumped on top of one another. It pained me to see her like this.

I looked at Shimizu and she turned her back on me, crying.

"Sumomo... do you... do you remember those times when you were just a persocom? Don't you wish life is just simple that way?" I asked her. Sumomo shook her head vigorously.

"Mastah.... Knowing how we were so close but still incredibly far.. I can't do that mastah... I can't... please mastah? Please?" She was sobbing heavily. I just couldn't take it. My thoughts were moving really fast...

Shimizu approached me and squeezed my shoulder. I looked up at her but she just nodded and went out of the room. Sumomo buried her face on my chest. After a few seconds, I felt her slipping.

"She fell asleep, Shinbo san.. apparently the microchip wasn't able to keep up with all the emotions pouring in... It's ironic... the microchip should be the one overriding the body but it seems like her human emotions is the one overriding the chip... this is... unexpected" Hibiya san said.

I nodded and gently carried her on a futon.

"Sleep well Sumomo..." I leaned over and kissed her salty face.

Footnote: Okay one last chapter to go. What was Shinbo's decision? What will become of Sumomo? Find out in the next chapter. To those of you who have been reading this, thank you very much. Although the reviews are quite few, it's okay. I'm not after the reviews much.. just want to share a story with you people. Thanks again!


	6. Aye Mastah Last Chapter

A/N: To everyone who has been reading.. thank you for sticking up with me. And now we are at the end of my very first short fanfic, Aye Mastah! I hope you guys enjoyed the ride as much as I do. Thanks to everyone for your reviews. It gave me inspiration to work on this. u Till the next fic!!

-Last Chapter-

"Mastah..."

"Eh? Sumomo?" I squinted my eyes. This seemed all too familiar, I could've sworn I saw this scene before. This same fog... this same warmth enveloping me. Was it a dream that I last have seen this?

"Sumomo? Doko?" I tried flailing arms to find my way. Suddenly a soft hand slid on my arm and grabbed my hand.

"This way mastah..."

I walked through the white blindness and suddenly stepped on something pointed but soft enough to tickle my feet. The fog slowly cleared up and I found myself standing in the middle of a meadow. Sumomo was in front of me and looked back, smiling a kindly. The strong, cool wind brushed past us and her hair flew wildly. She sat down and motioned me to do the same.

Sumomo's gaze never wavered the least bit. She was staring intently at me as if she was the happiest girl in the world. She was still holding my hand but this time, she was gripping on it more tightly. Her pink hair now rested on her shoulders beaming beautifully under the sun.

I couldn't speak. I was captivated by her very presence. Sumomo was my best friend. My partner. And now she's grown... grown into a lady. I never noticed it back then... but maybe I depended on Sumomo a little too much. I exhausted all my efforts to make her. Maybe while I was making her, I hoped for something else.

She sat on her feet, her white knees exposed under the sun.

Maybe while I was making her I wished to have a companion. Not really a simple computer with internet access. But a real friend. A real person. Maybe that's why she was so important to me. If I had treated her just like a persocom and nothing more, I would've just had her repaired someplace else and not spend seven grueling days manually fixing her. I flinched with the memory of that incident flashing through my mind. With Sumomo suddenly breaking down like that. At that time, I could still remember concretely, I panicked. I even cried. It felt like someone I love just died. But that can't be now can it? She's a persocom.

Sumomo leaned forward slowly, her eyes lost and searching.

But she's no longer a persocom now right? She's a real human being. That body may be genetically manufactured, but the one inside that... that's Sumomo. She has become human now. She's capable of everything. Does this mean all those inhibitions and self-convincing I do to myself can finally be overlooked? Does this mean_, I'm allowed to love her now?_

Her face drew closer and closer to mine and finally our faces were only inches apart. I could feel her soft lips graze mine.

I can really love her now. I can show her everything. Make her feel the joy of being in-love... being filled with that strong passion. Yes... This is...

I closed my eyes and kissed her.

"Shinbo... Shinbo...**SHINBO!!!**"

Argh... My head hurt. It felt like a bear trap just clamped itself snugly on my skull. I tried opening my eyes but the slightest movement of my eyelids pained my forehead.

"Thank goodness... I thought you were never going to wake up..."

Wait.. I know that voice.

Shimizu.

"Sumomo! Where's Sumomo chan!?" I forced my eyes open and spun around. I have this aching feeling in my chest that---

"Relax.. Sumomo is here" Shimizu said in a solemn voice. I looked around. My room is about as small as two cubicles put together. My eyes do not deceive me, Sumomo is not here. I looked at Shimizu in panic.

"**WHERE IS SHE?!?!**" I yelled.

Shimizu looked at me in alarm, not believing that I actually raised my voice at her. She heaved a deep sigh and tried to compose herself.

"Shinbo, you were asleep for three straight days after... after what happened..."

"What...?! What happened?!" I asked in urgency.

Silence. Shimizu looked away.

"Damnit Shimizu!! What happened?!?!" I gritted my teeth in anger.

"YOU HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK OKAY?!? When Hibiya san was about to remove the microchip inside Sumomo's brain, you suddenly jumped in there and took off all the plugs!!!!"

I stared at her in shock. I... I did that?

"Hibiya san explained to us that she really needed to remove the chip... the body would die and would destroy the chip!! She had to do it to save Sumomo" Shimizu was already crying.

"You were okay about it at first but you suddenly jumped in there and.. and... I was so scared Shinbo....!! I know you have already developed feelings for Sumomo but... she's a persocom Shinbo!!! She's a PERSOCOM!!!!" She stood up indignantly.

Looking at me with those fierce eyes, she storms out of the room.

I didn't even think of following her. My main concern was...

"Sumomo??" I called out.

"**_Aye Mastah!!!!_"**

I looked beside me and there she was... under the covers. In her pink costume, her pink hair... she crawled out of the covers and grinned mechanically at me. I sighed heavily and picked her up with my hand.

She stood steadily on my palm and put her hands together on her back. She swayed sideways grinning at me as she does so. I curved my lips to a smile and patted her head.

"Sumomo, could you do a system check-up for me?"

"Aye Mastah!!!!"

I waited... and felt a tear trickle down my right cheek.

FIN

Footnote: I'm a sucker for sad endings... I'm sorry if this ending leaves you unsatisfied but... I think this is how everything should be set right. I would've opened a little possibility that she could be human.. but doing that would be a tad too redundant and it's not really my style to prolong the inevitable... again thanks to all!! Will be proceeding to do my next fic which is going to be a Getbackers one. Ja mata ne!


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